For Life, Not Just For Christmas
by hollie-x
Summary: Ste decides to surprise the kids and Brendan with his new christmas addition to the Brady-Hay family, but it doesn't go according to plan when Brendan well.. Hates it?


**"For Life, Not Just For Christmas"**

_**Basically a little christmas story just because I love soppy Stendan and I like seeing them happy and in love. Sorry LOL! It's s**__**et on Christmas day 2013, because well this Christmas isn't gonna be great...**_

_**I don't own the characters, the lucky sods of Hollyoaks do. :)**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_**(Starts off with Brendan's POV by the way)**_

I hate Christmas. That much is pretty much obvious. I always have really, but this is probably one of the only Christmas' I've actually looked forward to. I now have the perfect family life I've always craved. A life with my boyfriend Steven and his kids, who I more or less class as my own anyway, Leah who's 6 and Lucas who's 4. I love them to pieces, such little characters and in their own little ways similar to their father. Me and Steven, we'd been together a whole year now. Last December wasn't exactly a barrel of laughs, my da' turned up unexpected, literally the day we'd returned from Dublin. Yes, Steven came to Dublin and seduced me. I'll spare the details but we've been together ever since. I wanted this Christmas to be different to the last. I wanted it to be perfect like any other Christmas should be.

I turned to the side, expecting Steven to be beside me, legs entertwined. That's how I'd always wake up, Steven fucking kicking me in his sleep. He's not normal that boy, sleep talking, snoring, fidgeting you name it. The amount of times I've had to remove myself from the bed just because if I didn't I'd have to do a whole day at the club on zero hours sleep. Not the best thing when you've constantly got Anne and Scottish Foxy in your earholes. To my shock though, Steven wasn't there. He'd mentioned something the night before about needing to pick up an exciting and life-changing present for the kids in the morning; to be fair Steven sounded just as excited and I queried if the present was for the kids at all. He did that little smile then, the smile which basically confirmed my suspicions, but seriously 6 o'clock on Christmas morning? No shops were open so where the fuck was he?

I must have drifted off again. You always feel worse don't you when you're awake and then fall back into sleep again? Well I did. I felt like shit to put it nicely.

'Morning sleepyhead' Steven whispered.

'Mhmmh. Time isit?' I mumbled. Too early is the answer Steven. Too Early.

'Errrrm Quarter past 7...I've got the kids present. She's in the living room'

That woke me up then. 'She? She?' I looked up at him, giving him a disaproving look. 'Steven what have you been up to?'

'I've got us a puppy Brendan! I've got us a puppy! She's so cute. It's a baby labrador Brendan! Come and look'

'A puppy?'

'Yep a puppy. Oh god I can't wait to see Leah's face, me!'

My arm was dragged from the bed then, if I was half asleep I certainly wasn't now. I was fucking wide awake. Steven had brought us a fucking dog. A dog! He hadn't even asked me if it was alright. To be fair if he asked my answer would more than likely be a resounding no anyway...

'How cute is she Brendan? And look she's a chocolate brown one. All the other's were that gold colour but I got us this one.'

'You got us a mutt Steven. Did you not think I should get a word in this?'

'Well she's kinda your present too I suppose. Didn't wanna ruin the surprise did I?'

Steven manoeuvred himself from my hand, and walked over to the dog. Sitting on the floor cross legged and removing her from the cage. He placed her in his arms to which she'd curled up around him. Warm. She was so comfortable with him it was rather obvious he'd been round to the house of whoever decided to us it more than once. She was used to Steven, she obviously trusted Steven.

'She wants a cuddle from Brendan...' He said, in his stupid baby voice. How can somebody still sound sexy when they are speaking like a complete and utter twat?

'I'm not cuddling a mutt Steven. I hate dogs.'

'Oi! Don't be so fucking ungrateful.. and stop calling her a mutt. Go and wake the kids up..'

'Bitch then..' I muttered under my breath.

* * *

'Right you understand me both of you. Daddy's got you a present and if you don't like it we can just return it okay? Just say and I'll take it back right now. Brendan won't mind...Daddy might... But yeah I won't mind. Get it?'

They both nodded, even though I was pretty certain they've love it and we'd get lumbered with a dog for the foreseeable future. They bundled into the living room and I stayed put on the floor where I'd kneeled down for the chat. I heard screams and gasps, even tears which were blatently from Leah. Yep they loved it, so I decided to go and join the festivities.

Leah turned to me and in between breaths, annoyingly asked. 'Brendan why would we want to take her back? Shes beautiful!'

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK.

'Take her back? What have you said Brendan?' Steven asked even though Leah had just blown my cover. So truthful and honest that girl, sure to get her into trouble in the future. Sometimes you can be too honest.

'Nothing. Nothing. Right I'll make a start on this turkey then yep? Yep. Okay. I'll just do that.'

* * *

'Brendan I don't like carrots' Leah stated.

'Leave them then.' I must have sounded annoyed, well I was to be honest. I'd just slaved over the whole dinner while Steven had been sat on his fat arse playing with a dog. Correct me if I'm wrong but club owner, deli owner. Who should do the cooking? Club owner or somebody who's cooked most of his life? Exactly.

'...Or sprouts'

'Leave them then'

'Can I give them to Molly?'

'No...dog's eat dog food.'

'Look she's looking up though' Lucas pointed to the floor. 'She's hungry'

I looked down and the dog, which for some reason the kids had wanted to call Molly, was looking up at me. More or less begging for food and attention. She had those eyes that people call 'puppy dog eyes'. I don't even know why they call them that because I'm pretty sure Steven had eyes like that quite a few times. Usually when he was begging for something.

_Brendan please can we get this giant blow-up Santa? Brendan you know I want to go to Egypt not Spain. Brendan please kiss me. Brendan fuck me._

He'd always got his own way with those stupid eyes, begging me to reconsider whatever it was that I'd said the first time. My boy, it's why I love him, that's why I'll always be with him.

* * *

**Ste's POV.**

Okay today hadn't exactly gone to plan. Brendan hated the present, hated the gesture. I thought all families got a pet to complete their little unit. I didn't even know Brendan hated dogs, but I don't know how anybody could hate our Molly. She was gorgeous, so cute, so soft. She loved the kids already. I'd caught Leah laying on the floor a couple of times, using her as a pillow. She was smitten. I know I hadn't asked Brendan's opinion, but I wanted to surprise him and the kids. I'd never surprised him before, it had always been the other way round and seen as the deli was doing so well I just wanted to purchase something by myself I suppose.

'Night Daddy thankyou for the best Christmas present ever!' Leah shouted, kissing me. She was so happy, it had made her life.

'Yeah Daddy you the best!' Lucas had shouted even louder than his sister.

Brendan walked past me, leaning on the door frame, smiling at me. I walked over to him.

'I'm sorry you know. I should have asked you, but I just wanted to sur..'

I was cut short, by a soft kiss on my lips. I still couldn't get used to Brendan kissing me so openly, even in front of my kids. It had been a year now the best year of my life.

'It's fine.. I might get used to her.. go and have a shower.. you stink of dog.' Brendan whispered in my ear.

'Whos up for a story then from me?! THE HAIRY MAN!'

'YAYYYYYY!' Both children screamed in unison.

* * *

I loved long showers, fuck those short ones. Long ones are the way forward. A nice hot, steaming shower. Obviously, it would have been better if Brendan was in there with me, but I'm pretty sure he's still tied up with the kids reading a snowman story for the millionth time. It warmed my heart how much Leah and Lucas had grown to love Brendan. They treated him like he was their dad aswell as me. I loved that about him, how comfortable he was with them, almost like a second chance at fatherhood that I was sure he'd get right this time. I finished off my shower, towelling my hair dry and then wrapping the same towel around my waist.

I stepped into the living room, half expecting Brendan to be laying along the sofa, catching up with his programmes on the TV. Well half of my expectation was right. Brendan was sprawled along it, all 6ft of him but there was something extra in his arms. Molly. She was fast asleep, as well as Brendan. It melted my heart, he didn't hate her really, he was as much in love with her as the rest of us. If anything a bloody dog had made me love him more than I already did.

I walked over to the sofa, running my fingers through his hair.

'Hmphh.. Steven.. I must have fell asleep.'

'Doesn't matter.. you stay there cuddling our new addition.'

Brendan smiled at me. 'I might like her just a little bit...'

'Course you do. I love you Brendan Brady..'

'Why wouldn't you? I'll just..' Brendan pointed downwards.

'Wait till she wakes up.. yeah.. see you in the morning. I might snore a bit tonight.'

'Staying here then. Goodnight. I love you..'

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed. Review please :) xx**


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